Railroad-tie



.UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

HENRY R. HOLBR-OOK, OF PUEBLO, COLORADO.

RAILROAD-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,514, dated January 8, 1884.

n Application tiled May 2, 1883., (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t 17mg/ concern:

Beit known that I, HENRY R. HoLBRooK, a citizen of the United States. residing at Pueblo, Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and use# ful improvements in railroadties.

It has for its object to provide a tie composed of any suitable metal and of tubular or equivalent formin cross-section, strengthened and reenforced at such points as are subjected to the crushing effects of the passing rolling-stock, and at the same time to preserve lightness and economy of material in t-he structure as a whole. p

Myinvention consists of a metallic railroadtie of tubular or equivalent form in crosssec tion, and sufficiently strong throughout its entire length to hold the two rails when secured thereto rmly to true gage, and provided with a re-enforce at such points as are necessary to resist the crushing effects of passing` trains, as will be hereinafter fully explained.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may fully understand the same, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal section of a tie embodying my invention; Fig. 2, an end view of the form shown at Fig. l; Fig. 3, a longi-- tudinal section, showing a modification of the form shown at Fig. l; Fig. 4, lan end view of the form shown at Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a longitudinal section of still another modification, and with the rails secured in place on the tie by the usual chairs and bolts; and Fig. 6 is an end view of the form shown at Fig. 5 without the rails, zc.

` Similar letters denote like parts in the several figures.

The tie is made of rolled iron or steel of the form in cross-section shown. At the points A A the metal is thickened up, to form a re-enforce to receive the rails and sustain the crushing effect of the rolling-stock passing over them. These thickened portions are of course made with reference to the desired gage of the road, and extend entirely around the whole circumference of the tie. Between said re-enforces, and for a suitable distance each side gage adjustment and to furnish suitable bedcontact.

It will be understood by reference to Figs.

1, 3, and 5 that the re-enforcement-s may be t on the outside, partially outside and inside, or entirelyinside, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In order to be able to secure the railsin position on the ties, the latter are provided at suitable points with bolt-holes, and chairs are rigidly fixed in place by bolts, as clearly represented at Fig. 5.

I propose making my improved tie either by casting or rolling in any manner which may be most desirable or that may be hereafter suggested.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to make a railroad-tie of iron, and that it is not new to make a tubular tie with raised or flat seats at each end to receive and support the rails, and do not wish to `be understood as making any such broad claim, the gist of my cure the rails with re-enforcements A A, eX-

tending uniformly around the circumference, whereby sufficient strength with the minimum degree of Weight is secured, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY R. HOLBROOK. Vitnesses:

F. L. BROWNE, J. W. HAMILTON JoHNsoN. 

